Thursday, September 18, 2008

eavesdropping

I am in the front seat, beside the driver of a passenger jeep. To my left sits the driver's friend holding fliers of luxury condominiums. He eats peanuts from a tiny paper bag while admiring his acne scars in the side view mirror.

Pare, don't you know that peanut is food for the brain?” he bellows in Tagalog to the driver. Without looking at him, the driver replies, “But you don't have a brain!”

The jeep turns right and a famous beer factory comes in full view. Cases of beer are being loaded into huge trucks parked within its premises. Acne Scar guy, again, shouts to the driver:
“Pare, look at those trucks! They're brimming with beer! Anak ng puta (Son of a whore), I'd love to have just one of those!”
“Oh, you're such a bore when you're drunk. You're always catatonic,” the driver says, making his best impression of Acne Scar guy's catatonic state. “I'm better than you when I'm drunk. I'm always happy.” Me too, I think. I mean, come on, what the heck is alcohol for if not to bring happiness to humankind? The gods created it to palliate the sufferings of the people.

I need a drink right away, I say to myself. It is obvious that Acne Scar guy also needs one. When the jeep speeds past a chain of shanties, vulcanizing shops, beauty parlors, and gas stations, he looks around and faces the driver again.
Pare, there are always drinking sprees on this street, no?”
“We'll have ours, too, when Oktoberfest arrives. We will go to Ever,” the driver says.
“But that's not where they celebrate Oktoberfest!”
“Oh yes, stupid! It's celebrated everywhere, as long as you have beer.”

We stop at an intersection. Further ahead, the road rises up into a wide fly-over. Three girls wearing shorts approach the driver and thrust the sampaguita (fragrant Philippine flower) garlands they are selling. One of them, the eldest, who must be around fourteen years old, is wearing eyeliner and eyeshadow. The two younger girls, who are unbelievably pretty, resemble each other; sisters, no doubt. The girl with make-up smiles and holds out her empty hand without saying anything. The driver hands her some coins, payment for the garlands he has taken the other day.

“Buy this one too,” she demands.
“I've got no more dough,” the driver replies.
“You don't have to pay today. You can pay tomorrow, same arrangement.”
“No,” he is stern. He notices the youngest of the girls, who coyly holds up her flowers to him. “This girl's beautiful. Come here, pretty little thing!”
The girl approaches and automatically hands him a garland. The driver takes it and pays for it.
“Oh but take mine, too,” the girl with make-up says.
“No, I can only buy one today,” with that, the driver steps on the gas and the vehicle speeds up. I notice that the two pretty girls are barefoot as they walk away.
Pare, those girls' mom must be very gorgeous, no?” I am relieved that Acne Scar guy hints at a desire for the mother, not for the kids.

The jeep traverses the flyover. Traffic is getting heavier. Acne Scar guy suddenly croaks out a line from some cheesy song. His voice is hoarse but loud and clear.
“You have a good singing voice, so full and rich,” the driver comments.
“Oh yes, pare! Wait till you hear me belt out 'Skylight Pigeon,'” and he shouts the first few bars of the song, as if sarcasm were a compliment. A minuscule piece of chewed peanut darts out of his mouth and lands on my right arm. I discreetly wipe it on my pants so as not to embarrass the singer. He notices it anyway. And he is not embarrassed.

I get off under a steel overpass painted in searing pink. The jeep zooms away, billows of smoke trailing behind it. I head toward the sidewalk, ruminating over the romance of public transportation in this country.

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22 Comments:

At 7:01 AM, Blogger Abaniko said...

And you haven't even heard jeepney passengers talk loudly about Pinoy Big Brother, GRO's and their sexcapades. You'd be embarrassed for them. :)

 
At 4:02 PM, Blogger atto aryo said...

indeed, the most profound conversations can be heard on the streets. am smiling still.. :-)

 
At 1:52 AM, Blogger the spool artist said...

Wow, you've captured a big slice of Filipino pop culture with your post! Hahaha, it's a very typical, colorful jeepney scene... I wonder which jeepney route is this...

 
At 8:37 PM, Blogger Juan said...

that was hliarious actually. This is a reality.

 
At 12:01 AM, Blogger slim whale said...

abaniko -- now that's something i can't bear. i might get off in the middle of the road

r-yo-- oh yes. i absolutely agree :)

spool artist -- this conversation is actually tame. I've heard crazier exchanges, fortunately, i've forgotten them already.

john day -- that's why i love riding jeepneys. colorful

 
At 10:48 AM, Blogger Abou said...

ha ha guilty ako ng pagkukwento ng kung ano ano kapag nasa public transport ha ha

i thought no one cares anyway.

 
At 3:49 PM, Blogger {illyria} said...

you're writing again!

i read this with a strange sense of comfort--even if it's the alienated kind. this world you describe is one that i'm part of, yet detached from, one that i ingratiate myself to, yet wash my hands off of. i think there's a german word, "sehnsucht," that's sort of like nostalgia, but involves the idea of nearness, instead of distance. something near, but just out of reach.

 
At 12:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

why do some people drink alcohol to be sad? tsk tsk kaya nga iinom para sumaya ha ha i've heard and seen people who blurt out their life's miseries and grudges when drunk!

i always find these conversations inside PUJs funny. and they tell at the top of their voices..

 
At 5:26 PM, Blogger AziL® said...

oist, october na! when do i get to drink beer again?! well, wine is better...:)

 
At 7:26 PM, Blogger bismuth said...

you passed by Polo Brewery? astig inuman dun. one time the QA specialist gave us a glass of freshly brewed beer straight from the pipes. ahhhhhhh. love love beer.

 
At 8:12 AM, Blogger rheiboy17 said...

even if you're not supposed to listen, you have no choice. there's a lot of story inside the jeepney. pwede ka rin siguro makabuo ng book - buhay jeepney. hmmmm....

 
At 7:18 PM, Blogger Sidney said...

Glad to see that you are back... always a delight to read your short stories...
Where did you disappear? In jail...like me?
Anyway...I am back too :-)

 
At 4:54 PM, Blogger yosiboy said...

ahh, the story of the wretched commute seen through the lens of optimism.

 
At 3:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice blog! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences with everybody.

 
At 12:38 PM, Blogger Dabo said...

in fairness to Acne Scar guy and jeepney driver, they have the synergy and zest complementary to each other.

 
At 9:49 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

here's hoping you write again... soon. :-)

 
At 5:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

heheh..in fairness to them..parang lively naman conversation nila..wala lang talagang mga paki..

 
At 7:03 PM, Blogger Jonette said...

has anyone ever told you you sound almost like Ernest Hemingway here? Your writing also reminds me of another Philippine writer, but his name escapes me now...

 
At 5:30 PM, Blogger Jonette said...

and now... Ha! You're not on my blog hitlist! :D

 
At 9:21 PM, Blogger Julsitos said...

hey... long time no read.... funny as always... update naman pic mo... baka masbuff ka na...hahahaha

 
At 5:02 AM, Blogger ysrael said...

Very common na rin kasi na may kasamang buddy niya yung jeepney driver. Kadalasan barker niya ito (as in tagatawag ng pasahero)konduktor at ka-chikahan at the same time. minsan nakaka-aliw minsan din ay nakakainis yung kanilang kwentuhan.Totoo masasabi na ngang isa ito sa mga pop -culture ng pinoy.

 
At 1:43 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

why are you not blogging anymore?

 

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